Ralls blasts Bulldogs to wins

ARNOLD — Notre Dame softball player Alexis Ralls did not want the day to end.

And who could blame her?

Ralls, who hit four home runs last year for the Bulldogs, had not hit one in the team's first 14 games this season.

But she broke out of her power slump in a huge way at the Jerry Joyce Jaguar Invitational on Saturday at Arnold Athletic Association.

Ralls hit three home runs in the first two games then put an exclamation point on her memorable day in the championship game as she had a pair of doubles and reached base all four times as the Bulldogs defeated Eureka 10-0 in five innings in the finals of the gold division.

"At the beginning of the season I was a little frustrated with myself," Ralls said. "But I made a couple of adjustments with my stance and my swing and it paid off today."

Ralls hit a pair of homers in a 12-1 win over Northwest and another in a 5-0 triumph over Lindbergh in pool play.

Notre Dame then defeated Cape Central 7-4 in the semifinals before disposing of Eureka, which had outscored its three opponents 24-3 in its three wins.

The Bulldogs scored seven runs in the top of the second inning in the championship game. Ralls got things going with a double to the gap in left-center.

Notre Dame followed with its patented small ball. The Bulldogs laid down four bunts, three of which were misplayed by the Wildcats. Mallory Siebert had a slap hit. Paris Burger had a solid hit with the bases loaded then Jane Morrill cleared the bases and scored herself when she hit a line drive to right field. Eureka right fielder Alli VanKleeck dived for the ball, but it got past her and went to the fence. Morrill was credited with a triple and three RBIs and scored when Eureka misplayed the relay throw for its fourth error of the inning.

The Bulldogs would leave the bases loaded in the second and third innings and left runners at second and third in the fourth.

But they scored once in the third and ended it in the fifth as Ralls had an RBI double and scored the 10th run on a pinch-hit by Nikki Chambers.

Lauren Reinagel, who was named the most valuable player of the tournament, retired the final seven Eureka batters in order.

Reinagel pitched out of a couple of jams as Eureka stranded two runners in the second and third innings.

"It was a good day," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said. "It was a good, competitive tournament and we got to play four games in one day."

And win four to boot.

The Bulldogs remained perfect for 2008, improving to 18-0.

Central finished 1-3 at the tournament, with its lone win coming against Fox, a 4-1 decision. The Tigers dropped games to Kelly, 10-1, and Affton, 6-2, in addition to the game against Notre Dame.

Central pitcher Amanda Nichols earned a spot on the all-tournament team.